UnParallels
by Meliantha
Summary: CHAPTER **9** UP!!! During a particularly windy Quidditch match, Harry Potter finds himself stranded in a place where all wizards are evil, animals can talk, and no one will ever be able to find him. Enchanted Forest/Harry Potter crossover
1. In Which The Author Explains Herself

**_In Which the Author Explains Herself_**

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     Hello!  _Bonjour!  Ola!  Konnichiwa!  Aloha!_  As you can probably see by my pen name, I go by the name "Aracelis Nyx" on fanfiction.net, which certain people shorten to "Celi" and "Celery."  I'm sure you're wondering what possessed me to write a Harry Potter/Enchanted Forest Chronicles crossover.  Technically, it was my muse, Caridwen.  However, it was also _The Enchanted Forest_ by Morwen Cimorene Lupin.  The fanfic kind of bothered me because, not only was it a Harry/Hermione and the two were married and seventeen, not only was it a Ron/Parvati, but also because Morwen and Lupin were married in it….  She's married to Telemain!  **ahem** Sorry.  I hope you took no offense to that, Morwen Cimorene Lupin, if you're reading this.  So, my muse and I decided to write our own HP/EFC cross-over.

     Now that I've informed you of why I did this, I'll clear up when this takes place.  Obviously, the fanfic takes place in Harry's fifth year.  It also falls after the fourth and final book of the Enchanted Forest Chronicles, Talking to Dragons.  Morwen and Telemain are married, Daystar is seventeen-ish, Shiara is up training in the mountains with Kazul, but she will still make an appearance in the fanfic, as will, evidently, Daystar.

     The basic plot of the fanfic is that Harry must find a way back to Hogwarts, but there will also be many mini-plots with their own little twists and turns.  I have no outline for _Un-Parallels _as of yet, since I'm working on two other chapter fanfics, so I'm kind of winging it here.  If you want to read the before-mentioned other fanfics, they are titled _Tiger's Eye _and _Tale of A Lost Child._  Alright, now that I have thoroughly bored you, go on and read!  =)

Aracelis 


	2. In Which There Is An Unusual Storm and H

**A/N: **Another one of those stories that your muse forces on to you and won't leave you alone until you write it.  This is a cross-over fanfic between Harry Potter and the Enchanted Forest Chronicles, and might be a little difficult to understand if you hadn't read Patricia C. Wrede's books.  I recommend them, by the way.  Anyway, the disclaimer is in my bio, so on to the story!

**_In Which There Is an Unusual storm, and Harry Finds a Forest_**

     Harry Potter struggled with all his concentration against the gales of wind that threatened to hurl him into the Forbidden Forest.  It ruffled his hair wildly and made his eyes tear as he squinted to see what was happening in the Gryffindor versus Ravenclaw match.  He could vaguely hear Lee's witty commentary through the howling wind.

     "Oh, I do hope Harry's alright," Hermione fretted, peering up at the thin boy.

     "I'm sure he is," Ron reassured her.  "He's got through storms before."

     "But this is unlike any storm _I've _ever seen!" said Hermione emphatically.  "I don't know if he can hold up."

     Hagrid placed a giant calloused hand on the girl's shoulder.  "Don't worry, Hermione," he rumbled.  "Have faith in Harry."

     From beside them, Ginny watched Harry intently, her eyes betraying her worry.  Hagrid and Ron might have enough faith to believe Harry could come out okay, but Ginny had a bad feeling about all this wind. 

     Suddenly, Harry saw a flash of gold, and he reached out to grab it.  Unfortunately, this small action caused him to lose his precarious balance in the sky, and the wind pounced on him.  It toyed with him as a cat would a mouse, tossing him back and forth in the air, and it caused him to lose his grip more than once.  With a deafening roar, the wind thrust Harry away from itself, causing him to careen violently.

     The next thing Harry knew was that he was lying on a mat of soft moss and surrounded by some very big trees.  His eyes rolled into the back of his head as he lost consciousness.

     A blurred figure moved across Harry's vision, hardly distinguishable from the equally fuzzy background.  It was followed by several smaller hazy figures.  He moaned and groped for his glasses.

     "Ah, you're awake," a voice said, and Harry realized it must be the blurred figure who was speaking.  

     After finally forcing his glasses onto his face, Harry got a good look at whoever this person was, and blinked in surprise.  She wore loose black robes and rectangular spectacles perched on the end of her nose, and her ginger hair was piled on top of her head in a bun.  "_Professor McGonagall_?" he asked incredulously.

     Something meowed beside his head, and Harry turned to see a fairly large black and white cat sitting on his pillow.

     "No, I don't know where he got that name, Quiz," the woman said, and Harry realized that she was talking to the cat!  "Now, get off his pillow.  You don't know if he's allergic to fur."

     The cat gazed at her reproachfully, then it leaped off the bed in such a manner that it seemed like that was exactly what the cat had been planning all along.  She turned back to Harry, who was staring at her wide-eyed.

     "It's rude to stare," said the woman severely, "and close your mouth.  You don't know what could fly into it."  Too stunned to do anything else, Harry did as he was told.  "Now, you will start by telling me your name."

     "Harry Potter," he mumbled, automatically flattening his bangs.

     "Stop that," the woman reprimanded him, "and speak up."

     "Harry Potter," said Harry louder.

     Now it was the woman's turn to stare.  "What an unusual name," she said thoughtfully.  Harry blinked.  He didn't think his name was _that _unusual.  Actually, it wasn't unusual at all!  The strangest thing, though, was that she was making no move to look at his scar.  "Well," continued the woman, "I have no idea who this 'Professor McGonagall' person is, but I am most certainly not her.  _I _am Morwen."  She gave Harry an odd look.  "Now, tell me where you've come from, Harripoter."

     "Harry Potter," he corrected her.  "And just call me Harry.  I'm from England.  Actually, where I _came _from was Hogwarts School in Scotland.  I don't know where this place is, but it's not in the British Isles, that's for sure."

     "Just what _are _you babbling about, er, Harry?" asked Morwen.

     Harry had no idea how to respond to this.  He may have been babbling a little bit, but any witch or wizard on Earth should have known what he was talking about.  Harry was fairly sure that Morwen was a witch, but…perhaps this wasn't really Earth?  His eyes widened in surprise at the thought.

     "Well, this is the Enchanted Forest, and you are most certainly not from around here," continued Morwen, confirming Harry's suspicions.  "Can you tell me what that stick you were holding is?" she nodded in the direction of the table where Harry's glasses had been.  Harry blinked as he saw what it was.  What was his wand doing there?  Oh, that's right.  He had carried his wand in his robe pocket while he was playing Quidditch, a habit he had formed when Voldemort came to power.

     "This is my wand," Harry explained, picking it up off the table.  "I use it to cast spells.  I'm a wizard, you see, and-"  Morwen gasped and he paused.  Her hand had flown up to her mouth and she was regarding Harry with shock.

     "Telemain, you might want to have a look at this!"

*%*%*%*%*%

Next chapter: **_In Which Harry Meets a Magician and Wonders How to Get Home_**

Now there is a lovely little button down there that you will press that causes a lovely little window to pop up.  Type into the box within the window whether you loved my story or hated it.  If nothing else, at least let me know you read it.  Thank you, and have a nice day!


	3. In Which Harry Meets a Magician and Lear

**_In Which Harry Meets a Magician and Learns About Wizards_**

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     "What is it Morwen?" a dark-haired man said, looking around the corner.  "I was just studying the-"

     "I don't care what you were studying," Morwen interrupted.  She pointed at Harry.  "_He _claims to be a wizard."

     Harry looked from one to the other, trying to work out what all the fuss was about.

     "Indeed?" the man asked, his bright blue eyes alight with curiosity.  "A wizard?  I see no staff…"

     "That is his staff, Telemain," said Morwen, gesturing at Harry's wand.  Harry looked at it.  Is that what they were making a big deal about?

     "Fascinating!" Telemain exclaimed.  He bent closer to Harry, apparently so he could see the "staff" better.  "It appears to be miniaturized!  I wonder what reflexive enchantments could cause such a reaction.  The fact that wizards can shrink themselves is no new fact to me, but that they can shrink only their staffs!  Remarkable, absolutely remarkable."

     "Uh," said Harry hesitantly, "it's not a staff."

     Telemain looked utterly taken a-back.  "Not a staff?  Then what is it, what is it?"

     "You don't have to keep repeating yourself," said Morwen, but Telemain ignored her.  

     "Could it be some sort of enchanted limb of a tree?  Perhaps it's not a staff, but a physical weapon!"

     "No," said Harry quickly, before the man could continue.  "It's a wand, and I use it to cast spells.  I don't have to, though, but un-channeled magic is supposed to be very dangerous."

      "Amazing!" Telemain exulted.  "You appear to be a kind of interbreeding between a wizard and a magician.  Not storing spells within the staff-"

     "Wand," Harry corrected, but Telemain continued as if he hadn't heard him.

     "-but channeling the enchantments through them as a safety precaution!  Though how such a thing could happen escapes my grasp."  Telemain gazed at Harry thoughtfully.

     "Have you decided what he is yet?" asked Morwen impatiently.  "If he's a magician, alright.  If he's a wizard, I want him out of this house.  Out of this Forest, even!"

     It was at this time that Harry chose to ask the question that had been bugging him for quite some time now.  "Er, if you'll excuse me," he began, not sure how to act in a situation like this, "but what is it you don't like so much about wizards?  And what's the difference between a wizard and a magician?"

     "Magicians study a multitude of different genres of magic, whereas wizards focus on only one," Telemain explained.  "Magicians and wizards are never to be confused.  _I _am a magician."

     "But what's so bad about wizards?" Harry pressed.

     Telemain scowled.  "I was getting to that.  As I was saying, wizards study only one genre of magic, which they are very secretive about.  What I know about this specific type is that they store spells within their staffs, but they also keep a spell or two on the exterior of the storage device in case it is misplaced or stolen.  They also use their staffs to absorb magic, which is the principle of most grudges held against them.  Being that the Enchanted Forest is formulated entirely of magic, this has a negative effect on the forest.  The Society of Wizards had been draining vast quantities of magic out of the Forest for their own selfish purposes.  Fortunately, the Society was exiled from the forest a few years ago, and we had been hoping they were gone for good.  That is why Morwen was so startled when you informed her that you were a wizard."

     Harry stared at Telemain.  "Alright, I think I caught most of that," he said slowly.  "So, wizards soak up magic and use it themselves, and Morwen thought that the wizards were coming back because I'm a wizard."

     The magician nodded satisfactorily.  "Yes, that is what I said.  Though I don't see how you can be so young and be a wizard."

     Morwen rolled her eyes.  "Wizards can appear however they want to, Telemain.  Don't tell me you've forgotten."       

     "No, I haven't forgotten.  This boy just does not seem like he's a wizard, or even a magician.  He has a very strong, and very unique magical power about him," said Telemain haughtily.

     Harry sat up.  "That's because, where I come from, not all wizards are bad.  There are good wizards and bad wizards.  Like Voldemort, for instance.  He and his followers are the only wizards really causing a lot of trouble.  We're born magical, but we can choose whether we're evil or not, and-"

     "Wait, back up a bit," said Morwen sharply.  "Did you say you are _born _magical?"

     "Yes," Harry replied.  "And we go to a school when we're eleven to learn how to use our magic properly.  People who have no magic are called Muggles," he added, though he didn't think it really needed to be said.

     Telemain regarded Harry with interest.  "So, where is it you come from, er…"

     "Harry," Harry offered.

     "Harry," the magician repeated.  "So, where is it you come from, Harry?"

     Harry thought carefully before answering.  "Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry," he said finally.

     "And how did you get here?"

     "I-" Harry began, but stopped.  _How _did _I get here?_

     "What kind of a question is that, Telemain?" Morwen reprimanded the magician.  "You know very well that most people who stumble into the Enchanted Forest do so by chance and have no idea what happened."

     "Actually, that would be _all _people who stumbled into the Enchanted Forest," said Telemain.

     "Exactly," said Morwen.  "And don't correct me."

     Harry sighed and took in his surroundings as Morwen and Telemain argued.  He was very used to this by now, since Ron and Hermione did it all the time.  Hopefully, these two wouldn't be using him to relay their messages to each other.  For the first time, Harry noticed this wasn't the infirmary.  Feeling quite silly for just now noticing, he glanced around at the room he was in, which was shaped like a semicircle.  A room in a tower?  Harry wondered about what the building was like, since he didn't have anything better to do.

     "Sorry about that," said Telemain dejectedly.  It appeared Morwen had won the argument.  "Now, do you remember what happened before you got here?"

     There was a question Harry could answer, but he didn't feel like explaining Quidditch to Telemain.  No doubt he would start rambling on about how the balls could fly.  "Er, I was flying above Hogwarts on my broom, and-"

     "On your _broom_?" said Telemain incredulously, grimacing.

     "Honestly, Telemain, it's rude to interrupt!" said Morwen.

     "-it suddenly got extremely windy," continued Harry, ignoring the interruption.  "I had flown in horrible conditions before, but none like this.  All I remember was rolling over violently and being surrounded by some very big trees."

     "Interesting," said Telemain.  "Very interesting."

     "I don't know how to deal with this," Morwen admitted.  "We better go take you to see Cimorene and Mendanbar."

     Harry blanked.  "Cimorene and who?"

     Morwen smiled.  "Oh, they're very famous in these parts."

     "They're the King and Queen of the Enchanted Forest," said Telemain.

*%*%*%*%*%*%*%*%*%*%

Next chapter: **_In Which Harry Takes an Unexpected Bath_**

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**A/N: **Agh…I must apologize for boring chapter.  Nothing but dialogue and such.  But next chapter will be fun!  =)  

Review thanks!:

Johanna Steel, Elaine of Shalott, Pupetta, WhetherRose, aren3 (you have a ferret?  I want a ferret!), Waku-chan, Elenhiril, Katia, Tempus Vernum (you must really like the word "cool" =P), Jelsemium, poptate12, Firefox, and Lunarian

Now, if you want to read the next chapter, you will kindly mover your cursor over the pretty gray button that clearly says, "Click Here to Submit Review."  Click, and a pretty little window will pop up which contains a pretty little text box.  Type in a review, preferably with some constructive criticism, and press the second pretty gray button that says, "Submit Review."  If nothing else, tell me you read this.  Flames are welcome, for they will be used to warm my feet.  


	4. In Which Harry Takes an Unexpected Bath

**A/N:  **In this chapter, the lay-out of the castle began to confuse me, because all we really know about it is that it has lots and lots of unneeded staircases…

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**_In Which Harry Takes an Unexpected Bath_**

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Morwen, Telemain, and Harry, followed by two of Morwen's cats, exited the tower-like home. Being that this was the first time Harry got a good look at the Enchanted Forest, he was quite startled to see the lush mossy clearing ringed by trees with trunks so wide around that Harry would not have been able to put his arms about one and reach his hands. Since he was staring in amazement at his surroundings, he did not notice Telemain twist one of the rings on his fingers and lift that hand into the air. He did, however, notice when the Forest seemed to melt together and then rearrange itself into another clearing, this time with a castle sitting in the center of it.

     "Wow," Harry murmured. It had been very smooth, not like the Portkey or Floo Powder. He didn't know if it was like Apparating, but Harry wouldn't have been surprised if it was more bumpy then Telemain's transportation.

Morwen and Telemain, surprisingly with the cats, strode toward the castle's double doors, Harry trailing behind. He was vaguely reminded of the Hogwarts castle. Telemain lifted the heavy knocker and smacked it three times on the wood. In response, the door creaked open, and, at first, Harry thought it had opened by itself. 

"Hello, Willin," said Morwen, and Harry realized that a little man with a greenish tint to his skin stood in the doorway. Hermione probably would not have been happy to see him, and then she would probably ask Morwen and Telemain to join S.P.E.W. Ron would then complain loudly about it and the two would bicker on and on. Thinking about his two friends did not make Harry any happier about being here, though. "We need to see Cimorene and Mendanbar."

"Morwen, Telemain!" what Harry assumed to be an elf exclaimed. "It's great to see you! I'll go fetch the king and queen right away." Willin was just about to leave when he noticed Harry. "And who is this?" the elf inquired.

"Who we need to see Cimorene and Mendanbar about," Morwen replied matter-of-factly.

"Oh," said Willin. "Well, come in, come in!"

The three, plus two cats, entered the castle, and Willin shut the door behind them. He lead them to what was obviously a study, and then scurried away to find the king and queen of the Enchanted Forest. _Not as good as meeting the Queen of England, _Harry thought bitterly, _but it'll have to do. _

It was at this point in time that a certain other presence in the room wished to make itself known. "Who do you think you are, to come barging in her without any warning?" a gruff voice said indignantly. 

Harry glanced around for the speaker, but saw no one else besides Morwen and Telemain.

"Who do you think we are?" said Morwen lazily.

"Oh, Morwen, Telemain!" said the voice. "I didn't realize it was you."

"Evidently," remarked Telemain. Not knowing where else to look, Harry looked up, and was surprised to see a gargoyle glaring down at them.

"Who's that?" snapped the gargoyle.

"A wizard," said Morwen.

That startled it. "What?! What do you think you're doing, bringing a wizard into the Enchanted Forest? The castle, even! Why, I oughta-"

"That will be enough of that," said an unfamiliar female voice, and three new people entered the room. They were a woman and two men, one much younger than the other, and all very tall. The woman, obviously the speaker, had her jet-black hair in two practical braids down the center of her back, and the two who accompanied her also had the same color of hair. All three were wearing gold circlets.

Not knowing what else to do, Harry bowed. Wasn't that what you were supposed to do in front of royalty?

"No, none of that!" exclaimed the younger of the men. He hurried forward and straightened Harry up. The adolescent smiled sheepishly. 

"Daystar, you are going to have to get used to people bowing to you," the queen admonished him.

"I know, Mother," he said. "I just haven't got used to it yet." 

"You should," said the older man, and Daystar blushed. 

The woman turned to Harry and smiled warmly. "Hello. My name is Cimorene, he's Mendanbar, and he's Daystar."

"I'm very capable of introducing myself, Cimorene," Mendanbar complained.

"I know you are. I'm very capable of taking care of myself, but does that stop you from fussing over me? Noooo…"

"Uh, Cimorene, Mendanbar?" said Morwen. "We have more pressing matters at hand."

"Like what?" the king and queen snapped at the same time. They then looked at each other and grinned.

"Him," said the witch, pointing at Harry.

"What about him?" Daystar asked. "He doesn't look like trouble."

One of the cats meowed.

"No, no, of course Harry doesn't look like your father. That's not what Daystar meant," Morwen informed the upset cat. Though this surprised Harry, everyone else seemed unfazed.

"Of course he doesn't," Telemain said, obviously to Daystar. "A wizard would not want himself to be noticed as someone who may invoke mayhem, therefore he would seek to look as inconspicuous as possible."

As soon as the word "wizard" left the magician's mouth, Harry knew he was in for it.

SPLASH!

Harry suddenly found himself soaked to the bone and smelling strongly of lemons. He took off his glasses and rubbed furiously at his eyes, which had got soap in them. Unable to control himself, he shouted, "What'd you do that for?" How frustrating! Every time he rubbed his eyes to get rid of the soap, his hands just got more soap in them.

Someone handed him a handkerchief, and he finally wiped the soap from his face. While he was at it, he cleaned off the glasses and replaced them on his nose. Harry looked around at the other occupants of the room, who were staring at him in shock. Queen Cimorene held an empty bucket in her hands.

"W-what?" Daystar stammered.

Mendanbar glared intensely at Harry for a while. Finally, he asked the question that was on everyone's mind. "Why didn't you melt?"

*%*%*%*%*%*%

Next chapter: **_In Which Everyone Does Some Thinking and Harry Talks to Dragons_**

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Oh dear…I'm afraid that this story is going to follow a pattern: Action, dialogue, action, dialogue, action, dialogue… Let's cross our fingers and hope for the best!  The next chapter _will _be longer, because I'm meshing what was going to be two chapters into one.  Anyway, I hoped you enjoyed reading this chapter as much as I enjoyed writing it!  To all of you who are also reading _Tiger's Eye_:  Don't worry.  I'm still working on that one, too.  This story is just easier to write.  =)

Thank-you's!

LunarBard, Elaine of Shalott, Lunarian, DiamondSky17, Firefox, Kaz, Pyra, Herald Mistylenna, Johanna Steel, Elenhiril, Jeselmium, DumbOldDork, lunatyme, Blue Moon, Aqua Child

And don't forget to review this chapter as well! =)


	5. In Which Everyone Does Some Thinking and

**A/N: **Oy… Sorry for the delay, folks, but I've had a busy summer.  Also, fanfiction.net has been down for a long while, and I haven't had any inspiration for this fanfic.  The only reason I'm not working on _Tiger's Eye _at the moment is because I'm at the Sorting and I hate writing the Sorting.  Much of this chapter was written at about three thirty in the morning, so forgive any randomness.  What am I saying?  This whole story was just a random idea, and you people LOVE it!  J

**_In Which Everyone Does Some Thinking and Harry Talks to A Dragon_**

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     Queen Cimorene leaned in closely to Harry and gazed at him in such a way that it made him squirm.  "Yes, why _didn't _you melt?"

     "What, I was supposed to melt?" Harry snapped at her, and he could hear Hermione in the back of his mind reprimanding him for forgetting his manners.  "You could have at least told me beforehand so I would have known to bring a poncho or a shower curtain or _something_!"  _Calm down, Harry, you're losing it.  And I thought the wizarding world was strange.  Compared to the Enchanted Forest, it's a walk in a muggle park!_

     "I think you've upset the wizard!" the gargoyle whooped from its perch.  "Oh, you're in for it now!  First, he'll make your body waltz through the entire castle, then he'll make you run around acting like a monkey, and after he's had his fun, he'll burn you until you're crispier than a potato chip!"  Of course, no one thought to ask the gargoyle how it knew what a potato chip was; they all glared at it instead.  The gargoyle merely cackled its unspeakable pleasure.

     "Telemain," said the king, turning to the magician.  "Could you perhaps try that melting spell on him?"

     "Certainly - " Telemain began, but was interrupted by Morwen.

     "Will not!" she interjected, glowering at them both.  "Isn't it obvious that he's not evil?  Why go through all the trouble of melting him?  We've already made enough of a mess of the castle carpet."  She pointed and the soap bubbles that were still sinking in.

     "Morwen, I thought you, of all people, would understand," Telemain fumed.  "There is a wizard here who I can test the improvements on the dissolving enchantment, which, as you know, I have been diligently laboring over for an interminable duration of time so that the spell is actually more efficient then the water mixture.  Now, the separation of the molecules does not hurt the wizard in the slightest bit, so Harry here will not suffer any discomfort in the melting process.  I - "

     "Hold on!" Harry said, bringing Telemain to an abrupt stop.  "Hold on, wait, halt, whatever it is you people say - "

     " 'Wait' works very nicely," Cimorene interjected.

     " – I never agreed to getting melted," he finished.

     "Exactly," Morwen said, nodding wisely.  "Though I would like to see those improvements."

     "But you heard him!" Daystar said quickly.  "He doesn't want to get melted!  I wouldn't want to, either," he added, smiling at Harry.  "I don't think you're really a wizard like the Society.  My name's Daystar, as you probably already guessed."

     "Harry," Harry replied, happy someone finally truly believed him.

     "Well, if he's not a wizard, then it shouldn't affect him," said Mendanbar.  

     As the two boys' attention was fixated on the king, Telemain stepped behind Harry and Daystar and said, "Argelfraster."

     Harry blinked and turned around to face Telemain, who was regarding him with mild surprise.  "What did you say?" Harry asked incredulously.

     "Don't ask," said Cimorene.  "Long story, and it didn't work."

     "He already _did _ask," said Daystar.

     "Don't be a smart alec."

     "I'm not!  I'm just stating a fact."

     "He grows more and more like you everyday," Mendanbar said.

     Cimorene sighed.  "I don't know whether to take that as a compliment or an insult."

     "Take it as a compliment."

     "Mm…"

     Daystar made a face and mouthed "Mushy stuff," causing Harry to grin.

     "Mendanbar, Cimorene!" Morwen said, her tone disapproving.  "Something needs to be done about this new 'breed' of wizards, and - "

     " 'Breed' is not exactly the right word; a more appropriate word would be - "

     "I don't care, Telemain, but something needs to be done, and – how did you say you got here?"  This last remark was obviously directed at Harry.

     "I don't know," Harry replied.  "I told you; all I know is that there was a sudden violent windstorm and then I was here."

     "Exactly!" Morwen said, leaving Harry completely confused.  "I believe that the windstorm Harry speaks of was not natural, but wizard-provoked.  If that is the case, then - "

     "What do the wizards want with him?" the others finished.  Morwen nodded satisfactorily at their comprehension.

     "Perhaps they wish to study him," Telemain offered.  "He was born with an innate magical talent, whereas all the wizards here were taught their magic and spent many years learning the all the techniques and technicalities."

     "Or maybe it's simply his magic they're after," Cimorene pondered.  "Like Telemain said, it's something completely new to them.  Maybe _they _want to run some experiments themselves."

     "Could it be they want a spy?" Daystar asked, apparently eager to get his two cents in.  "Someone who is not quite wizard, but not quite magician to go undercover?"

     "There is something else we should think about," Mendanbar said.  "Why this Harry?  Why not any other kid?"

     The king had a point.  Everything _did _seem to happen to Harry.  _I wonder why it's me this time, _he thought.  _Probably has to do with being "The Boy Who Lived."  That's what it's always about._

     "What if he _is _just another kid?" Morwen pointed out.  "Maybe he was just selected at random.  The more pressing issue is to find whether it was really the wizards who brought him here, and, if yes, why they want him."

     _Or maybe it has to do with that whole "true Gryffindor" mess in my second year, _Harry continued to himself, completely unaware of  the discussion going on around him.  _I did pull that sword out of the Sorting Hat.  Ha!  Some people pull rabbits out of top hats, but I can pull swords out of ratty old "witch" hats!  Speaking of which, where is that sword now?  Why is no one looking for me?  Who exactly was Gryffindor, anyway?  All we know about him is that he was a brave and powerful wizard who helped found Hogwarts.  What was he like?  Where was he from?  Did he have any children?  Did they go to Hogwarts?  Did they have children?  Does his bloodline still live on?  If it does, is what Tom Riddle said true?  That he's the Heir of Slytherin?  If there's an Heir of Slytherin, is there an Heir of Gryffindor, Ravenclaw, and even Hufflepuff?  Wow, I'm beginning to sound like Hermione with all these questions._

     " – to the dragons," Queen Cimorene was saying, and everyone looked as if they agreed with her.

     "Wha-wha-what?" Harry stammered out.  He had missed everything while he had been contemplating his situation among other things, but from what had heard, this lot was going to take him to see a bunch of dragons.  "Dragons???"  Oh no, anything but dragons.  Harry had had _enough _of dragons.  They were nothing but bad luck for him.

     "That's right, dragons," said Morwen.

     "Maybe we'll take you to see Shiara, too," said Daystar, a far-off look coming over his face.

     "Stop daydreaming, lover  boy," his father said teasingly.

     "Yes, we all know it's just _you _who wants to see Shiara," Cimorene added, grinning.

     "I am not!  I do not!" Daystar retorted indignantly.

     "Though he does have a point," Telemain said.  "The natural magical abilities of fire-witches could be either distantly or very closely linked to the powers Harry was born with."

     "So we _will _get to see Shiara!" Daystar exulted.  When all eyes turned to him, his cheeks burned with crimson as he realized what he had just said.  "Not that I _like _her or anything."

     The Mountains of Morning were a complete change from the lush greenery of the Enchanted Forest.  Where as the Forest was covered in bright green moss, comfortably warm, and the sunlight fell in little patches through the leafy canopy, the Mountains were made of harsh gray stone, with little mountain flowers growing here and there.  The air, being higher in the atmosphere, was significantly colder and thinner than in the Forest, and the sun that continuously glared into Harry's glasses offered no comfort whatsoever.  Not to mention tunnel snakes, which Harry had yet to encounter, and he was not looking forward to it.  He suddenly found himself wishing for one of Mrs. Weasley's hand-knit sweaters, but this only called up the image of Ron, then Hermione, then Ginny, and that didn't help at all.

     "Are we there yet?" Harry grumbled, his muscles becoming sore from the uphill climb.

     "Just a little farther," said Cimorene cheerily, obviously looking forward to seeing her old friend again.  Before they had all left the castle, Harry had been informed that Cimorene had once been the princess of Kazul, who was now the King of Dragons even though she was female.  This was yet another thing that was new to Harry.  He knew the dragons of the Wizarding World, and the monstrous dragons from fairy tales who ate princesses, but dragons that kept princesses to do their housework and had an elaborate system of government was altogether different.

     "I don't see why we couldn't have just teleported," complained Telemain.

     "Quit your whining," Morwen scolded him.  "A little exercise never hurt anyone."

     Mendanbar was striding protectively next to Cimorene, though it was quite obvious to Harry that she could take care of herself – she _did _have a sword strapped to her waist – and Daystar was in his own little world as they hiked up to Kazul's cave.

     A few tedious hours later, they reached the entrance to Kazul's cave, and Harry thought he would wet himself any minute now.  Not that he was scared.  Of course he wasn't _scared_, he was terrified.  He patted his robe pocket.  Yep, his wand was still there.  Unlike the last time he came up against a dragon, Harry didn't have his broom nearby to Summon it.  Was it even in this realm?  He didn't know if his broom had come to the Enchanted Forest with him!

     "Hello, Kazul!" Cimorene called.

     Harry felt the ground shake beneath his feet as something very large came towards them from the depths of the cave at a very fast rate.  The door flew open and Harry found himself staring at a giant, scaly belly.  His eyes slowly moved upward until he saw the head of the dragon.  She, for Harry was guessing that this was Kazul, had three horns on top of her head that looked very sharp and menacing.  

     "Cimorene!" Kazul exclaimed.  "What brings you to the Mountains of Morning?"

     The queen was about to respond when a red-haired girl peeked around the huge body of Kazul.

     "Shiara," Daystar breathed.  The girl named Shiara smiled at Daystar and moved out from behind Kazul.  Abruptly, the smile reversed direction and became a frown.

     "It's about time," she declared, fixating Daystar with a heated glare.  This confused the prince to the point that he was only capable of staring at Shiara.  "You never visited!"

     "Excuse me?" said Daystar.  "Didn't you say that _you _would be the one running back and forth?"

     Shiara opened her mouth to argue but thought better of it.  "I did, didn't I?" she said thoughtfully.  "Well, I'll have you know that I've been a working a very long time to get this politeness curse you so kindly bestowed on me and haven't been given _any _breaks, so _you _should have come to visit me!  I don't think that's the reason why you're here right now, either!"

     "Which brings us all to the question I am about to ask," said Kazul before Daystar could contradict Shiara.  "Why exactly are you here, Cimorene?  I'm sure you're not all here to throw me a surprise un-birthday party."

     Cimorene nodded.  "You're right, Kazul," she said.

     "We're here because of him," Morwen continued for her, pointing at Harry.

     "Who's that?" asked Kazul.

     "His name is Harry," Mendanbar replied, "and he is a wizard."

     Harry, who had been trying to work out what had just happened between Daystar and Shiara, looked up to see a very toothy grin directly in front of his face.

     "Hello, Harry," rumbled the King of the Dragons.

     Harry wanted desperately to pull out his wand and throw a curse at Kazul's eyes, get up on a broom and fly away, or maybe just run.  However, he did none of these things.  Instead, he did the only thing he could manage.

     "Hi," Harry squeaked.

*%*%*%*%*%*%

Next Chapter: **_In Which the Reader Sees What's Happening on the Other Side_**

****

     Oh dear.  Poor Harry.  I think that's the first time he's ever squeaked since he came to Hogwarts.  He must feel quite stuck… Sure, he's all brave and such on his home turf, Summoning brooms and facing the Dark Lord, but I think the Enchanted Forest is being a little too tough on him.  Poor thing.

     Before I get into the review thank-you's, I'd like to give a special "I-love-you-you're-the-best-I-can't-believe-you-would-do-that-I-feel-so-honored-astonished-mystified-even" hug to everyone who put me on either one of the favorites list.  Also, Jeselmium gets chocolate hugs, kisses, and a butterbeer for making "Un-Parallels" the Fanfiction of the Month on her author page.

Now, for everyone else, including those who put me on their favorites list:

AquaChild, Firefox, Elenrihil, Herald Mistylenna, lunatyme, DumbOldDork, LunarBard (this chapter is a little longer…I'm trying, at least!), HiBob, Tipper, Squire, Jeselmium, Blue Moon, DiamondSky17, J-Kid, M, Gia, Authoress, ShinigamiKarui, Lady Cinnibar, and, last but not least, guess.

Again, thank you all for loving my story!  Now, click on the little button down there so I know you loved/hated/or even just read this!  J


	6. In Which the Reader Sees What's Happenin

**A/N: **And now for something completely different…

****

****

**_In Which the Reader Sees What's Happening on the Other Side_**

****

     "And there's the Snitch!  Chang chases it down, following it's every swerve.  Chang is most well-known for her turning down Harry Potter to go to the Yule Ball, instead going with Ce-"

     "Jordan!"

     "Yes, Professor.  As Chang pursues the Snitch, Potter  - Wait, where's Potter?"

     A waves of whispers washed through the stands as the Quidditch game was brought to a temporary standstill.

     "Time out!" the new Gryffindor Quidditch captain, Angelina Johnson, shouted.  "Where's Harry?" she asked urgently after all the players were on the ground.

     "No idea, Angelina," Fred said.

     "Maybe he got eaten," George suggested.

     "What could possibly eat Harry while he's in the air?" Katie asked.

     "A chimera, I reckon," said Fred.

     Angelina rolled her eyes.  "Look, you two, this is no time to be joking.  If we lose this game, we'll have to beat Hufflepuff by more than a hundred points!"

     "Aw, why are you worrying, Angelina?" George asked.

     "Hufflepuff's just a bunch of pushovers, especially now that they don't have Cedric anymore," Fred agreed, earning himself several heated glares.  "Hey, I was just joking around!  It's what I do."

     "What do we do?" the new Keeper, Ward Lisle, pressed.

     "What can we do?" Angelina replied.  "We'll have to play without him and hope we get enough points to win without catching the Snitch!"

     "I guess that'll work," George said.

     "We'll make sure to distract Cho," Fred promised.

     "You mean, the game's not canceled if we misplace our Seeker?" Ward said blankly.

     "Ward, Gryffindor was without a Seeker for quite some time before Harry came to Hogwarts," Alicia reminded him.

     "Oh, right."

     "Alright then, we ready?"

     "Ready!"

     Despite the supreme efforts of the Gryffindor team, they lost to Ravenclaw, one hundred seventy to forty.  However, this was not the topic which Ron, Hermione, and Ginny discussed over lunch.

     "What do you think happened to him?" Ginny fretted, clearly very worried about Harry.  "No one should have been playing in that sort of weather anyway!"

     "Ginny, think logically," said Hermione.  "The windstorm didn't start until everyone was up in the air, and then it just…stopped," she finished awkwardly.

     "How can I think logically when it's not logical?" Ginny exclaimed.

     Hermione, in an attempt to calm Ginny down, though she was concerned herself, said, "Look, Ginny.  I'm sure that wherever Harry is now, he's fine.  He can take care of himself."

     "Hermione!  Don't talk about what you don't know.  Harry could be dangling off a cliff, thousands of feet above a hundred sharp rocks, or in the clutches of You-Know-Who!  You said yourself, that windstorm was not normal.  You-Know-Who could have caused it," said Ron.

     "Ah, but it wasn't," said a voice behind them before Hermione could reprimand Ron.  The three turned around to find Dumbledore standing behind them, and, as always, he looked as if he knew everything.  He could have, for all anyone knew about him.

     "Then who was it?" Ginny whispered, scared for Harry's safety.

     "It was not Voldemort," Dumbledore said, making all three of them wince, "but a force not of this world."

     "Not of this world?" Hermione repeated, and the aged Headmaster nodded.

     "We have to find him then!" Ron declared, getting to his feet.  "Professor, sir, we should have a search party go out and find Harry!"

     "But where would we look, Mr. Weasley?" Dumbledore asked.

     "In – uh…" Ron's voice trailed off in confusion.

     "Exactly," said Dumbledore, smiling apologetically at Ron.  "Where could we look?  Harry is in a place that no one with selfish purposes can find it."

      "But, Professor, our purposes wouldn't be selfish, would they?" Hermione inquired.  "We'd be looking for Harry!"

      "Where would you begin to look, Miss Granger?" Dumbledore replied.  "If you can think of a place to search for Harry, then inform Professor McGonagall, and we will be sure to arrange a search party."  Leaving that tidbit for them to ponder on, Dumbledore joined the staff up at the teacher's table.

     "He does bring up a good point," said Hermione, causing Ron to regard her in disbelief.

     "What do you mean, 'a good point'?" Ron asked angrily.  "Are you going to give up on Harry just like that?"

     Hermione narrowed her eyes at him.  "Ron, I would _never _give up on Harry if there was still hope," she snapped, and Ginny glanced back and forth between the two.  Deciding that she'd rather not be an "interpreter" today, Ginny hastily gathered up her things and went to sit down with her peers.

     "Oh, so there _is _a possibility of you giving up on him?!"

     "Stop twisting my words around, Ronald Weasley!"  
     "I'm not, Hermione _Granger_!  I'm saying it like it is."

     "You are not 'saying it like it is'!" Hermione exploded, making a handful of other students who hadn't got used to their fights stare at them.  "I simply said that I wouldn't give up on him as long as hope still remains, and there's _always _hope.  Honestly, Ron!"

     "What do you mean, 'Honestly, Ron!'  That's not what you meant, and you know it.  You don't really care about Harry at all!"

     _SMACK!_

     Ron fell to the ground from the force of the slap, a cherry-red imprint of a hand pulsating on his face.  He opened his mouth to say, "What'd you do that for," but quailed under the infuriated gaze of the fuming Hermione.

     "Don't you _ever _say that again, Ron," she hissed, her whole body shaking with rage.  "I have _tried _to be patient with you, but you went too far this time.  Good-bye."  Hermione spun about on her foot, but, before she went, she looked over her shoulder with a glare that could boil water.  "And don't you _dare _come near me again!"  With that, she stormed off, heading in the direction of Gryffindor Tower.

     "Oh, Ronniekins, she got you _good _that time!" Fred crowed.

     "Shut up, Fred," snapped Ron.  He rubbed his cheek and stared, stunned, at the spot where Hermione had just been.  Her words rang harshly in his ears: "And don't you _dare _come near me again!"  He shook his head to clear it, but to no avail.  "What do I do _now_?" he moaned, cradling his head in his hands.  "I've really messed up this time, haven't I, Ginny?"

     Ginny jumped, having been unaware that her brother knew she was there.

     "I don't know, Ron.  I really don't know."

     Though nearly every class Ron had was with Hermione, he wasn't able to speak with her at all.  He really _did _want to apologize, but she wouldn't even look at Ron, let alone let him speak to her.  All throughout Care of Magical Creatures she wouldn't come near him, and in Double Potions she ignored his every plea for help on concocting  .  Even after class was over and they were getting ready to go to bed, Hermione was nowhere to be seen.

     "I'm getting sick of this, Gin!" Ron shouted, slamming his fist down on his homework and startling his sister.  "I can't even _apologize_ – don't know _what _I was thinking – I can't _believe _I said that – she could at least be a little nicer – honestly, she didn't have to _hit _me - "

     "Ron, did it ever occur to you," Ginny interrupted, "that she might not have meant it either?  You both are really stressed out over Harry, and I have to admit, I am slightly worried, too…"  She blushed as her voice trailed off.  "Okay, so I'm _really _worried, but I know he doesn't like it when people worry over him, so I try not to.  But, really, Ron, you should probably just back off for a while and give her some time to cool down.  Don't avoid her, though, or else she'll think you really do hate her, but don't follow her around either, or she'll just become even madder."

     Ron shook his head.  "Girls are so confusing," he complained loudly.  "What a big help you are, Ginny.  Thanks."

     "I see you've got yourself into a spot of trouble, eh, Ronniekins?" said Fred, coming up on Ron's right as he traversed to his dormitory.

     "No," Ron mumbled, glaring at Fred.  He tried to step away from his brother, but was intercepted by George.

     "Come on, Ron!  We're kin, aren't we?" George asked, his eyes twinkling.  "You can tell us."

     "No, I can't," the youngest brother replied, pushing George away from him.  "Just leave me be."  He then climbed the stairs to his dormitory and flopped onto his bed miserably.

     "Seems to me Ronniekins has girl problems," Fred whispered to George.

     "Seems to me he needs help fixing them," George whispered back.

     "Ah, but who's the lucky girl?" Fred wondered.

     "Don't be daft, Fred!" George exclaimed.  "It's obviously Her-"

     However, he was stopped short as Hermione entered the common room.  She gave the twins a suspicious glance, who were whistling innocently.  "What did you say?" she inquired.

     "Uh, her…um," George faltered and looked to Fred helplessly.

     "It's obviously her left, George!" said Fred after a hesitation spanning a split-second.  "Not her right!  Didn't you notice how the Quaffle veered that way?"  Having made a successful recovery, the twins walked away, leaving Hermione alone in the common room with Ginny.

     "Where have you been all this time?" Ginny asked, her tone sympathetic.

     "Ugh," Hermione groaned, dropping her forehead into her hands.  "I was in the library."

     Ginny laughed.  "Should have known!  Silly question, huh?"

     Hermione gave her friend a small smile.  "Yeah.  Silly question."

     "Oh, Hermione, cheer up!" said Ginny, elbowing Hermione gently in the ribs.

     "How can you _say _that?" Hermione asked, her pitch raising a note.  "_Cheer up_?  Are you _mad_?"

     "You know, Ron's not really mad at you," Ginny said suddenly, throwing Hermione off.

     "What?" said Hermione, momentarily confused.  Her face hardened as she realized what Ginny was talking about.  "Of _course _he's mad, Gin," she said.  "Who wouldn't be?  And who wouldn't be mad _back_?  Honestly, actually believing that I would _really _give up on Harry!  The nerve of that boy!  He makes me so frustrated!"

     "All boys frustrate everyone," Ginny reminded her.

     "Well, Ron _really _frustrates me," Hermione retorted, fiddling with a scrap of paper then flicking it across the room.  "He won't even apologize!"  Ginny gaped at Hermione, who gave her an odd look in return.  "What?"

     The younger girl shook her head.  "Hermione, this is getting silly.  Ron has been _trying _to apologize, but you aren't letting him near you."

     "Ron would never willingly apologize," said Hermione disbelievingly.  Though there was that time in their third year…Hermione shook her head.  This was different.

     "But he wants to Hermione!  You just have to let him," Ginny replied, placing an imploring hand on her friend's shoulder.

     Hermione sighed.  "Alright, I'll give him a chance.  Maybe," she added quickly.

     Ginny smiled.  "He won't disappoint you, Hermione."

     "You had better be right, Ginny."

     "Stupid, stupid, stupid!" Ron yelled into the pillow, banging his head against it.  Not satisfied with this, he turned around and started hitting his head against the wall.

     "Don't do that!" said a voice from the doorway.  Ron looked up from inflicting pain on himself to regard Seamus, and he didn't even notice that there was a bump swiftly forming on his forehead.

     "Why not?" asked Ron, burying his head in his hands.

     "You could lose brain cells," the other boy joked.  Ron just glared at him.  "Hey, what's wrong, Ron?"  

     "None of your business," Ron growled.

     "Ookay – Whoa!"  Seamus shouted as he was pushed aside by Hermione.  Taking a hint, Seamus quickly left, but not before winking at Ron.

     "Ron?" Hermione asked meekly.

     "Go away."

     The girl's cheeks pinked.  "I will not."

     "You won't?" asked Ron, looking up from his hands.

     "No.  Not until you apologize."

     "WHAT?" Ron bellowed, leaping to his feet, his hands balled into fists.  Hermione took a step back, slightly startled.  "Why do _I _have to be the one to apologize?"

     "What in the world do you _mean_, Ron?  You're the one who accused me for not caring for Harry!" Hermione shot back.

     "Well, you hit me!"

     "Only because of what you said!"

     "But you still hit me!" the boy insisted.

     Hermione opened her mouth to retort, but nothing came out.  She closed it and focused her eyes on the ground for a minute.  Ron stared at her, confused.  After a long minute, Hermione looked back up at him.  "You're right, Ron," she admitted.

     "Wha-wha-what?"

     "You're right," Hermione repeated, her tone ashamed.  "I was wrong to hit you, and I'm sorry."

     What was this?  Hermione admitting she was wrong?  Ron shook his head (A/N: A lot of shaking of heads, ne?) in bewilderment.

     "Now, apologize," she ordered.

     Ron pressed his lips together.

     "_Now_," she hissed, and Ron cringed.

     "I'm…I'm sorry," he choked out, and winced.

     Hermione smiled, and Ron sighed in relief.  "You're forgiven," she said, the smile lingering sensuously on her lips.  

     _She has such a pretty smile_, Ron thought, then swallowed hard.  Beads of sweat broke out on his forehead.

     The girl's brow furrowed in concern.  "Ron?" she inquired, stepping closer.

     "Ah… I have to go to the bathroom!" he exclaimed, panicking.  And he dashed out the door, causing Hermione's hair to fly up as he zipped past.

     She watched his retreating back, puzzled.  "Now, what was that all about?" she wondered.

*%*%*%*

Next Chapter: **_In Which Harry Performs a Spot of Magic_**

Ah, pathetic ending.^^"  It could've been better.  As you may have noticed, I'm _ba-a-ack_!  I had a lot of fun in Iowa^^  I got to meet three cousins I've never met before, and I got to go to the Iowa State Fair and ride the gigantic slide and the double ferris wheel and I got a caricature done!  If you're lucky, I might even scan it in and put it in my profile.  It's really nifty!^^

Anyway, review thank-you's!:

Jeselmium (first to review new chapter!  *gives Jeselmium a lemon drop*), Firefox (I _loved _the poem, Firefox!  Write more^^), HiBob, DumbOldDork, Lady Cinnibar (thanks for reviewing all my other stories, too!  I really appreciate it), Milkmaid, Elenrihil (I would've, but this story is only on my computer), Giesbrecht, and Jass (I'll keep that in mind…hm…).

Thank you all for reviewing, and review this chapter, too!  And you newcomers, it's not that hard.  Simply click on the pretty button at the bottom of the screen and fill out the box that pops up ever so nicely.  If this doesn't work, _The button is calling you.  It is calling you.  You feel drawn to the button.  Your mouse feels drawn to the button.  You want to click on the button and review.  You want to review, review, review, review…_


	7. In Which Harry Performs a Spot of Magic

**A/N: **Please, please, _please_ forgive me for not updating this sooner!  I know you're all very angry with me, but I've been so busy with this little thing called a _life _and an _education._  Blasted things are always getting in my way.

**_In Which Harry Performs a Spot of Magic_**

****

            "How do you _know_ he's a wizard?"

            Everyone stopped talking and arguing the moment the question escaped Shiara's lips.  All eyes turned to Harry, who had been fiddling with his wand as Morwen, Telemain, Queen Cimorene, King Mendanbar, Prince Daystar, Shiara, and King Kazul discussed what he was doing here, what to do with him, and who exactly _was_ this messy-haired wizard from another world.

            "That's a very good question, Shiara.  I've been wondering myself," growled Kazul, her neck swiveling to gaze at Cimorene.  "How _do_ you know he's a wizard?"

            Cimorene opened her mouth to respond, but she only made it as far as to move her jaw up and down.  "We don't," she said finally.

            "You just took him at his _word_?" Shiara inquired disbelievingly.

            "Well, we didn't take him at _his_ word, but Morwen's and Telemain's," said Mendanbar.

            "And I apologize," said Morwen.  "Telemain and I were so surprised at our discovery that we might've been a bit out of character."

            "And if he truly were," Kazul pointed out, "I'd be having a sneezing fit."

            "So, Harry, why don't you _prove_ you're a wizard?" Daystar suggested. 

            Harry jumped, having been pulled into the conversation for the first time since he had arrived in Kazul's lair.  He had quickly grown used to Kazul's presence, seeing as she apparently had no interest in eating him and he had faced bigger dragons before.  At the moment, he had been pondering his situation and how to get out of it.  It was, after all, the middle of the school year, and he couldn't help but worry about all he was missing.   However, these ponderings had just been interrupted by Daystar's query.

"Prove that I'm a wizard?" Harry repeated.

"That's a very good idea, Daystar!" said Telemain excitedly.  "I've been curious 

to discover whether or not Harry's form of magic can function properly in the unique structure of the Enchanted Forest and the lands surrounding it, let alone when he's not in his natural environment."

            "Well, do some sort of magic!" Shiara urged impatiently.  Harry glanced up at Shiara.  Cimorene and the others had explained to Harry that Shiara was a fire-witch, a very temperamental group of spell-casters with just as temperamental magic.  He wasn't quite sure he wanted to get on her bad side.

            "Er, what sort of magic should I do?" asked Harry, uncertain.  Like Telemain, he didn't even know if he could actually cast anything.

            "I don't know; anything!" the fire-witch cried, throwing up her arms in frustration.

            "_Calm down_, Shiara," said Daystar.

            "Why don't you summon that helmet over here," the King of the Dragons proposed, gesturing one huge talon at a solid gold helmet hanging on the wall.  "That's a simple enough spell to do."

            "Well, I can try," said Harry, still unsure of himself.  He had gone through all that training with Hermione so he knew he _could _ summon the helmet if he were back in his "natural environment."  But here in this strange world?

            Harry abruptly stood, determined to prove that he was a wizard, and not one that was out to absorb all magic, at that.  He pointed his wand at the helmet and shouted, "_Accio_ helmet!"  For a moment, nothing happened.  Disappointed, Harry lowered his wand, and everyone turned to stare at him.  Suddenly, the helmet began to move, then wriggle violently against the wall until it sailed off of its post and right into Harry's middle, knocking the air out of him.

            "Oh no!  Are you alright?" asked Daystar.

            "I'm fine," Harry wheezed.

            "Fascinating!" Telemain exclaimed.  "What a unique process.  First you level a magically-enhanced wooden instrument at the desired object, then you must pronounce an incantation!  Tell me, Harry, is it required that you declare your enchantment every time you wish to execute it?"

            "Shush!  That's not important, Telemain," Morwen scolded her husband, and he quailed beneath her wrath.  She turned back to Harry.  "Are you okay?"  At Harry's nod, she continued, "I suppose that settles it.  He's neither magician nor wizard, but something different all together."

            "But why is he here?" Cimorene asked.  This time, all eyes were on her.  "He's obviously not from _our_ world, so where is he from, and what is he doing here?"

            They turned to face Harry.

            He shook his head, as confused as the rest of them.  "I don't know," he said.  "One moment I'm playing Quidditch – popular wizard sport where I come from," Harry quickly added at their bewildered looks.  "And the next I'm here."  And then something hit him.  What if… "Was it…no it couldn't have been…"

            "Couldn't have been _what_, Harry?" Morwen pressed.

            "Voldemort," he said.  "But why would he want me here?"

            "Voldemort?" Cimorene asked.

            Harry nodded.  "He's a dark wizard, probably something like what you think of wizards here."  He briefly explained his entire story: about Voldemort coming to kill his family that one Halloween, but how the Dark Wizard who killed anyone he wanted to couldn't kill a little baby.  "And now he's come back, and he's after me.  Maybe _he's _ the one who wants me here."

            "But why?" asked Mendanbar.

            Harry shook his head.  "I don't know.  I really don't."

            "The boy is catching on," hissed a dark figure.  She had been watching the entire exchange through a crystal ball that rested on a particularly evil-looking pedestal that seemed eerily to be made of bones.  The image of the Enchanted Forest's royal family and friends faded from the crystal and was replaced with a bright, swirling mist which threw glimmers of light on the face of the dark figure.  "But the 'Boy Who Lived' doesn't stand a chance on _my _playing field!  Antorell!  Come here, boy."

            "Yes, milady?" asked the daft-headed wizard as he appeared in her chamber.

            "Go keep a watch on this…boy," she said, a smirk showing itself from the shadows of her hood.  "But don't do anything stupid."

            "Yes,  milady," Antorell replied, bowing himself out.

            And she laughed, the pure evilness of it chilling the blood of all who listened.  "You're mine now, Harry Potter."

*%*%*%*%*%

Next chapter: **_In Which Ron and Hermione Do Some Questing_**

Would you look at that!  This story is actually developing a plot!  I'm really, really, _really _ sorry for not posting in such a long time, and I apologize especially to Firefox who's probably ready to beat me over the head with a stick or some other hurtful object.  I'll try to have the next chapter at least by Christmas.  I'm a busy, busy girl you know.

Thanks to all those who reviewed!

Herald Mistylenna – Was it interesting enough for you?

Kaylin –I'm sure by now you're quite insane, but that's alright.

b - I'll try to work on that; thanks for pointing it out.  Was I little better this chapter?

Firefox – another poem sounds nice, but you don't have to.  It might help me review a little faster, though… =~_^=

Elenrihil – I haven't given up on you!  See, here's the next chapter.  Did you enjoy it?^^

goddessofvenus19 – A kiss?  Nah, it focuses too much on Harry for anything to really develop between Ron and Hermione.  Though it was fun to make them fight…I dunno, maybe something'll happen. =~_^=

and… 

Tam BreoSaight – No, no there's not.  That's part of the reason why I wrote this one!^^

Now, all you people whom I thanked, review!  Everyone who I didn't thank because you didn't review the last chapter, review, review!  Everyone who hasn't reviewed yet, review, even if it is to just let me know you read it or flame me.  You don't have to tell me my story's great, just make it known that you read it, pleeeeeease?

 _HeH_   


	8. In Which Ron and Hermione Do Some Questi

**A/N: **Whee!  I'm a really happy fanfiction author right now!  I just found my EFC books after they've been missing for months!  **huggles books**  Everything should be slightly more canon now.  Yay!^^

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**_In Which Ron and Hermione Do Some Questing_**

****

            "Ron!  Ron!  Ron!"

            "What is it?" the redhead exclaimed exasperatedly, turning around to face Hermione, who was running as fast as she could to catch up to him.  She drew to a halt in front of him, her hands on her knees, panting.  "Well?" Ron asked impatiently, crossing his arms.

            Hermione straightened up, and, to his complete surprise, she was smiling.  "Ron.  We have to go save Harry."

            "What are you talking about?" Ron said, bewildered.  

            "We _can_ go find Harry," she explained.  "Professor Dumbledore practically _gave_ us permission!"

            "Yeah, but he also said it's impossible," Ron pointed out.  "He was right, Hermione.  Where could we even begin to look?"

            "Well, where did Harry disappear?" asked Hermione excitedly.

            "Over…the Forbidden Forest," Ron replied slowly.

            "Exactly!  Over the Forbidden Forest!"

            "What?"

            "Oh, just come on!" she urged, grabbing Ron's arm and practically dragging him towards the Gryffindor common room.  After giving the Fat Lady the password ("Merlin's shoe"), Hermione pushed Ron ahead of her toward the boys' dormitories.

            "Hermione, I don't understand!"

            "Quick, Ron!  Where does Harry keep his Invisibility Cloak?" she inquired, coming up behind him as he stepped into the fifth year dorm.

            "Under his bed."

            Hermione got down on her hands and knees, sifting through all the junk under Harry's bed.  Her nose wrinkled.  "Ugh.  How can you boys stand such mess?"

            Ron was about to respond, but was interrupted by Hermione's "Aha!" as she pulled out the thin, silvery Invisibility Cloak.

            "Hermione, what are you doing?"

            "I think you should be asking what are _we_ doing.  I'm not going by myself," she declared, taking Ron's arm again and leading him out to the empty common room.  Everyone else was at the Quidditch match between Hufflepuff and Slytherin, and Ron had just been on his way there when Hermione intercepted him.

            "What's this _we _stuff?" Ron questioned as Hermione pushed him down into an armchair.

            "Just be quiet and listen," she reprimanded him, and Ron shut his mouth and glared at her.  "Okay, so Harry disappeared over the Forbidden Forest, right?"  Ron nodded, afraid to say anything lest he invoke the wrath of Hermione.  "He was blown pretty far over it, too, before he vanished.  I'd say no one has ever gone that deep, not even Professor Dumbledore."

            "I don't know, Hermione," said Ron.  "Me and Harry have been pretty deep into it."

            "Oh, hush up, Ron.  And it's Harry and _I_."  Ron rolled his eyes.  "Maybe you _have_ been pretty deep - "

            "It's not a _maybe_, Hermione."

            "But Harry disappeared over a region nearer to the mountains," Hermione continued, ignoring Ron's comment.  "Someplace no one has ever been.  Now, Professor Dumbledore said that Harry is in a place that no one with selfish intent can find, so it's obviously enchanted.  There's no place _here_ that's like that; trust me, I looked it up.  So Harry must have been taken to some sort of parallel universe!"

            "Well, that's all well and good, Hermione," Ron interrupted, "but suppose Harry really _has_ been taken to some alternate universe.  How do you propose we get there?"

            "The same way Harry did."

            "What?"

            "I can't _believe_ I'm doing this!" Ron shouted over the wind.

            "_You_ can't believe it?" Hermione repeated incredulously.  "We're almost to where Harry disappeared, Ron!"

            The two were flying under the protection of Harry's Invisibility Cloak on one of the school's old Shooting Stars.  It was the only decent broom they could find, and it felt like it was going to give out any minute.  Ron and Hermione had to ride on the same broom, because the Cloak wasn't big enough to hide them if they were on different ones. Right now, it was a struggle to keep it around them.  It was dusk now, and everyone was at dinner, but they couldn't risk anything.

            "Take her down!" Hermione ordered, and Ron maneuvered the old broom into a dive, straight for the depths of the Forbidden Forest.

            "I can't believe this," he moaned, closing his eyes tight, and he could feel Hermione doing the same behind him as her arms tightened around his middle.  

Suddenly, there was a jolt that shook through Ron and Hermione's bodies, feeling a lot like Muggle electricity.  The two were knocked from the air and went pummeling through the branches of the trees, arms still wrapped around each other as the cloak billowed out about them.

They landed with a soft thud on a blanked of moss, but the falling branches didn't share their silence.  The branches crashed down all around them, sending dirt and leaves flying.  

And then, silence.

"Er, Ron?  You can get off me now."

Ron's cheeks flared up in a hot blush, spreading quickly to his forehead and the tips of his ears as he sat up and backed away from Hermione.  While the branches had been falling around them, he had been sheltering Hermione with his body, and now they were both blushing like mad.

"Er, right," he said, feeling horribly awkward.  During their fall, the Invisibilty Cloak had separated from them, and was lying in a heap on the ground.  "Well, I'll get the cloak."

"Ron!" Hermione suddenly exclaimed as the redhead was just bending over to pick up the cloak.  "Look around you.  Doesn't this place seem too…sunny to be the Forbidden Forest?"

"You're right," he said slowly, glancing around.  It _did_ seem far too sunny, and alive, and lush.  "Where _are_ we?"

"You don't know?" said a tiny voice by Ron's feet.  "Why, you really don't!  How remarkable." 

"What?  Who said that?" Ron asked, glancing around him in surprise.

"Down here!" the voice squeaked.  Ron looked down, in the direction of the voice, and his eyes were greeted by a very surprising sight.  There was a little gold lizard sitting on top of the Invisibility Cloak, looking up at him with a very human-like expression.

"Um, where?" Ron questioned the voice, thinking that the lizard couldn't possibly be the source.  Lizards don't talk!

"Here!" the voice squeaked again.  "Me!"

"_You_?" Ron asked incredulously.

"Of course!  Who did you think?"

"Well," said Ron uncertainly.  "I just didn't think lizards could talk."

"You didn't?"  Ron nodded.  "Oh my gracious goodness my oh!" it exclaimed, doing a little flip.  "Where did you get that notion?"

"Where we come from, animals don't talk," Hermione explained.

"They don't?" asked the lizard, leaning forward and nearly falling over."  Why, they really don't!  How peculiar.  Well, they do in the Enchanted Forest."

"The Enchanted Forest?" Hermione repeated.  "So that's where we are."

"You didn't know?  No, of course you didn't.  That's why you asked."  It twisted in such a way that Ron felt it would tie itself in a knot, but it only ended up balancing on its tail.  "Well, you're in the Enchanted Forest.  I don't know how you got here if you came from another place where animals don't talk, which is odd, because I know _everything_ that goes on in the Enchanted Forest.  I'm Suz, by the way."

"Everything?" asked Hermione, and Suz nodded.  "Would you be able to tell me if you saw a boy with black hair, a little taller than me, with round glasses?"

The lizard appeared to ponder this very carefully.  "Why, yes I did!"

"Did you see where he went?" Hermione inquired eagerly.

"Follow me!" Suz answered, flitting past them and into the underbrush.  Hermione and Ron stared after him, a little stunned by his sudden departure.  A moment later, he reappeared again, looking annoyed.  An annoyed lizard is a very odd sight to see.  "Well, do you want to find him or not?"

"Oh.  Right!" said Ron, and he and Hermione followed Suz as he streaked in front of them.

Antorell stalked through the Enchanted Forest, muttering about castles and warding spells as he batted the branches of the trees aside with his staff.  As that dratted magician had cast an enchantment on the forest, Antorell's staff couldn't even absorb the magic of the trees and help the wizard along.  _Stupid boy_, he thought bitterly.  _If it weren't for him, I wouldn't be in this mess!_  And it was true.  If that stupid Prince Daystar hadn't transported him to the Valley of Demons along with Antorell's summoned creature, Lady Tanith never would have had to rescue him.  Not that he had needed any rescuing anyway.  It was only thirteen demons, and he could've fended them off quite easily with his wizarding prowess, but – 

"This way, this way!"  a small voice suddenly shouted from behind him.  Antorell stopped in his tracks and looked anxiously around.  "Almost to the castle!"

Castle?  Knowing there wasn't time for anything else, Antorell dove into the bushes, out of sight of anyone walking on the path.  Soon, a red-haired boy and a bushy-haired girl came into view, wearing very strange clothing.

"Can't we slow down?" the boy complained.  "What's the big hurry, anyway?"

"Quit whining, Ron.  You want to find Harry, don't you?" the girl reprimanded him.

_Harry?_ Antorell wondered, listening with interest.  There was no one else in the Enchanted Forest who could possibly have a name like that except for Harry Potter!  Did the girl say his name was Ron?  Strange name.  Wait.  With that sort of name, the two must have come from Potter's world, and they were looking for him.  So if he followed them… What luck he had stumbled upon!  Not that he had happened on it, of course.  Everything Antorell did was completely on purpose.  Now he could find the castle quite easily, if whatever it was the boy and girl were following actually knew the way.

"Yes, I do, Hermione," said the boy, "but he's not going anywhere!  He'll just be in this forest.  Nowhere else he could go."

Hermione.  That was a much more normal name.  His mind made up, Antorell – 

"What's this?"

Drat it all!  Antorell shrank back into the bush he was hiding in (he had been just about to come out and order them to show him the way).  The girl stooped over and picked up Antorell's staff, though he guessed it only looked like a plain stick to her.

"You don't know?" said that squeaky voice again.  "You really don't!  How shocking.  You really don't know much."

The red-haired boy glared at the source.  "I'll have you know, Hermione knows a lot!"

"But I don't know what this is, so let Suz explain," the girl scolded him, and Ron turned red.

"It's a wizard's staff," the voice informed the two.  _I wish I could see whatever it is that's guiding them_, Antorell thought, straining to see.  "Don't know where he is, but he's around here somewhere.  Take it with you."

"A wizard's staff?" the boy repeated blankly.  "Wizards don't carry staffs!"

"Don't talk about things you don't know," said Hermione.  "They very well could here!  Now, why should we take it along, Suz?  Why can't we leave it here so that the wizard can find it?"

"You want to do that?  You really do!  How positively horrible!  You don't _want_ the wizard to get his staff back.  Let's go, or your friend might leave the castle."

Ron and Hermione looked at each other a moment before following the voice, Antorell's staff grasped firmly in Hermione's hand.  Antorell cursed.  Now he really _would_ have to follow them, at least until he got his staff back and could enchant them.  Once they had gone forward a little on the path, Antorell struggled out of the bush, brushing leaves off his robe and smoothing his hair before following.

"What an idiot," said the woman known as Lady Tanith.  "He'd lose his head if it weren't screwed on.  Oh well.  At least he's getting there, and maybe he'll have the sense to stop those two from finding the Potter boy.  No, that's giving him too much credit.  Khaos!"

"Yesss, milady?" a serpentine voice replied from the darkness.

She smiled.  "Go put a damper on Ron and Hermione's spirits. And while you're at it, maybe you can teach Antorell a thing or two.  Idiot needs some brains to fill that empty space in his head."

"Yesss, milady," Khaos hissed, and he slinked away to do Tanith's bidding.

Tanith smirked.  If there was anyone she could rely on, it was Khaos.  She should've sent him in the first place, rather than that fool of a wizard.  Only reason she rescued him was because Zemenar was his father, and she had thought he might be somewhat like him.  But she had been wrong, for the first time in a long while (the other time will not be mentioned here), and the boy didn't have the common sense of a pebble.  Tanith sighed.  Oh well.  At least Khaos could fix things.  Her smile returned, evil and menacing.  Yes, he could definitely fix things.

*~*~*~*~*

Next chapter: **_In Which Ron and Hermione Come Upon Some Trouble_**

Wow!  An update without you people pestering me!  Harry was beginning to get a little bit boring, so I had to go back to Ron and Hermione.  They're so fun to write!  Anyway, the next chapter _will_ contain Harry, so don't worry.  And now for the thank-you's!

Firefox – Thanks for the lovely poem, too.  As you can see, it worked!

Elenrihil – A happy Thanksgiving to you, too, though it's more like Happy Holidays, now. =~_^=

girloz14 – Did I update fast enough?

DumbOldDork – How am I doing on length, and is it making my story better?

Dragonlet – No, he didn't get eaten, as explained here.  Daystar just made Antorell vanish, and I figured he transported him.

Kell Shock – Oh, they have their ways.

Kaylin – I will!

Allison – Do you really think so?  I'm flattered!

Meshelly – Hm…broomsticks…

guess – Tanith reminds me of Beryl, yes, but it wasn't on purpose, I swear!  I just had this image of her, and that's what it came out as.

Isn't it sad how I can actually list everyone out vertically and address each every person's review in under five minutes?  I find it very sad, so review and make me feel better….please?


	9. In Which Ron and Hermione Come Upon Some

**A/N: **And now, for a moment of stupidity…I have 104 reviews!!!  Yes, you heard me.  104, count 'em, **_104_** reviews!  **huggles all her reviewers**  Thank you all _so_ much.  Also, I apologize for not getting this out sooner, but my computer got mad at me and caught a virus, and I am also incurably lazy.  Bleh.  

**_In Which Ron and Hermione Come Upon Some Trouble_**

            "Are we almost there, Suz?" Ron asked the lizard anxiously.

            "Yes, almost, almost!" Suz replied, his voice annoyingly cheery for someone who had just traversed what several hundred kilometers.  At least, that's how it seemed to Ron.  "See, there it is!"

            Ron looked up from regarding his aching feet and caught a glimpse of some immense stone palace, but that was all he got.  It was there, and then it was gone.  The boy blinked and rubbed his eyes.

            "What just happened?" questioned Hermione, still clutching the staff tightly in both hands.

            "It likes to move around," Suz explained.  "But not to worry, we'll be there soon!"

            Suddenly, a cold hand slapped over Hermione's mouth, muffling her startled scream.  Ron, who had been a little ahead, whipped around to see a tall man wearing what looked like wizarding robes restraining Hermione and struggling to get the staff from her.

            "Let her go!" Ron shouted, suddenly burning with fury.  Not even stopping to think about his wand, he tackled the man, sending them both sprawling.  Hermione sat on the forest floor, stunned, the staff forgotten beside her.  

            The man pushed Ron off of him and scrambled to his feet, brushing off his robes indignantly.  "How dare you?" he snapped.  "Attacking me like that…you could've at least shown the great Antorell some respect by using some magic!"  He grabbed Ron by the collar of his robes and held him up threateningly.  Ron groped frantically for his wand. "Give me back my staff!"

            Hermione shook her head, having oriented herself, and picked up the staff, then backed away from Ron and the man called Antorell.  Seeing his most prized possession in the girl's hands, Antorell flung Ron to the ground and advanced on Hermione. She cringed and held the staff protectively in front of her face.  

Ron finally got his wands into his hand and pointed at Antorell, shouting, "Leave her alone!"

He was just about to hex him, too, when a mist suddenly enshrouded them so thickly that Ron could hardly see where to throw the curse.  Antorell froze mid-stride, his eyes widening in horror as he realized what was happening. Hermione took this moment to run around him, nearly tripping over Ron in her haste.

"What's happening?" she whispered urgently.

"I was just about to ask you the same," he whispered back.

"Sssssilence!" a voice suddenly hissed, and the two jumped, fearing that the source of the voice was right next to them.  "Antorell, the lady isss not happy with you," it continued, now sounding as if its owner was surrounding them.

"U-unhappy with me?" Antorell stammered.

"Yesssss…"

Daystar suddenly became rigid, immediately attracting the attention of Cimorene.  "Daystar?" she asked, concerned for her son.

He didn't answer right away, his eyes glazed over and unseeing.  After a little while, it seemed like he was being released, and the boy blinked his eyes several times.  "S..something's happening in the Forest," Daystar finally said.

Shiara laughed.  "Something's _always_ happening in the Forest, Daystar; don't be silly."

"Listen to what the boy has to say," Kazul growled, and the fire-witch winced.

"What do you mean, Daystar?" the king asked.

"Something's not right…Near the castle!  Someone's in trouble," said Daystar urgently, jumping to his feet.  "Dad, we have to go help them!"

"Hold your horses, Daystar!" said Mendanbar.  "We don't even know where they are."

Daystar closed his eyes, and a moment later, he opened them again.  "Near the castle.  They're near the castle."

"Allow me," said Telemain, stepping forward.  He twisted one of the many rings on his fingers, and the cavern melted away around them.  Though he had been through it once already, this method of transportation still unsettled Harry somewhat.  Though even more unsettling was what Daystar had just said.  How had he known someone was in trouble, anyway?  Even the king and queen had seemed surprised!  Harry had no more time to ponder this as the world around them solidified, revealing that the group was right in front of the castle.

A scream suddenly pierced the air, and Daystar took off at a run towards it.  "Daystar, wait!" Shiara called, chasing after him.

"That boy," said Morwen, sounding very exasperated as she, then Telemain and the rest, followed the two.  Harry ran after them all, removing his wand from his pocket so it would be ready.  He came to the edge of the forest just in time to see the queen vanishing into it.

However, once Harry broke through into the forest, he found himself surrounded by an impenetrable fog, and he couldn't see or hear _anyone_.  All he could hear was a chilling voice laughing.  Harry slowed his pace, and cautiously continued into the forest, all his senses on alert, and his wand firmly in his hand.  His foot suddenly hit something soft, and he looked down, then jumped back in shock.  A man with brown hair and a beard lay there, either very unconscious or very dead.  He glanced fervently around for some sign of Daystar or one of the others, but to no avail.

Harry swallowed hard, memories of Cedric assailing his thoughts, and he stepped over the un-moving man.  "Daystar?  Shiara?" he called, sounding very uncertain.  To his surprise, a very familiar voice answered back.

"Harry?  Is that you?"  Harry's eyes widened.  He could almost swear that he had just heard Hermione calling out to him.

"Harry!  Over here!"  The boy shook his head.  Now he was hearing Ron's voice!

"Ssssilence!" another, harsher voice hissed, and there were cries of pain coming from the direction Harry had heard his friends' voices.

"I'm coming!" Harry shouted, and dashed recklessly in that direction.  Suddenly, the mist cleared around him to reveal a giant, black, serpent-like creature coiled around Ron and Hermione, and he was apparently squeezing them to death with his strong body.

Those piercing red eyes then caught sight of Harry and glinted malevolently.  "Ah, the famousss Harry Potter," the snake whispered, appearing to smile in a very terrifying way.

"Harry!" Hermione exclaimed happily, despite the fact that she was being constricted in a snakes coils.

"It's really you!" said Ron, looking very relieved to see him.  He and Hermione suddenly cried out in pain as the snake tightened himself around the two.

Harry's expression hardened, and he leveled his wand at the creature.  As he did so, the serpent let out a barking laugh.  "Ha!  You would ssseek to vanquish me with your magic, do you?  I tell you now that your effortsss are futile, Potter.  I, Khaosss, am imperviousss to your little ssspellsss!"

The hand holding Harry's wand faltered for a moment, but Harry steeled himself and kept it pointing at the creature called Khaos.  "_Let them go_," he snapped.

The look in Khaos's eyes changed from malice to shock, and Harry assumed that he had spoken in Parseltongue, as that always seemed to happen when he was addressing a snake.  But that didn't matter to Harry at the moment, because Khaos's surprise had caused him to relax his grip around Ron and Hermione, and they were gasping for air.  Harry darted towards them in an attempt to help them escape, but the serpent chose that time to recover from his shock.

Khaos lunged at the unsuspecting Harry; one blow from the mist snake's venomous fangs would kill the boy.

"AAAAAAH!"  A voice screamed, and Khaos froze.  He whipped around just in time to see Daystar hurtling towards him, a very impressive-looking sword poised above his head.  Daystar slashed downwards with the sword, but Khaos had already disappeared, and with him went the mist.

Harry, Ron, and Hermione all stared very curiously at Daystar.  Ron and Hermione because they had no clue who he was, and Harry because of what Daystar had just done.  Daystar lowered the sword awkwardly beneath their stares.

"Er, hi," he mumbled.

"Don't mumble," said Shiara, having just joined them, and she was smirking bemusedly.  "It's not polite."

Daystar's face turned very red and he said something incoherently.  Harry glanced at his friends, very much reminded of their relationship by Daystar and Shiara's.

Just then, Cimorene, Mendanbar, Morwen, Telemain, and Kazul showed up.

"Daystar!" the queen exclaimed.  "There you are…I got so worried when you just took off like that."

"Very unlike you to snatch my sword and run off," Mendanbar added.

"Sorry," Daystar apologized, and then apparently remembered he was still holding the sword.  He held it out to the king repentantly.  "I…just followed my instincts."

"I'll say," said Morwen, straightening her robes.  "And what happened to _you_, Harry?" 

Ron stopped gaping at the ginger-haired witch long enough to ask, "Harry, who is this woman?  And how does she know your name?"

"Is that a dragon?" Hermione asked in a tiny voice, terrified.

"Oh," said Harry, sounding quite abashed.  "Sorry about that.  Er, Ron, Hermione, this is Morwen, next to her is Telemain, that's Queen Cimorene, King Mendanbar, Daystar, Kazul, and Shiara.  She's a fire-witch."

"Is that a d-dragon?" Hermione repeated.  Like Harry, she had seen dragons before, but never this close.  And Kazul was no runt of a dragon, either.

"_King_ of the Dragons," Cimorene corrected her.

"Oh, sorry," Hermione apologized, looking quite flustered.  "Then he's-"

"She's," Cimorene said.

"She's," said Hermione, and blinked.  "She's?"

"Just because my title is king," Kazul rumbled, "doesn't mean that I have to be male."

Hermione squeaked and clung to Ron.  "Did…did she just speak?"

Maybe it was just his imagination, but Harry could've sworn he saw Kazul roll her eyes.

"Of course I did!" said the dragon, exasperated.  "I wouldn't be able to rule very well if I couldn't, now could I?"

"W-well, I suppose not," Hermione stammered.  "I guess it makes sense…"  She appeared to be recovering from the initial shock, though Ron even now looked quite red.  Then again, that could be because Hermione was still holding onto his arm.  Hermione stood and brushed her robe off (as she was wearing her school robe), and Ron visibly relaxed before doing the same.

"I believe you two came from the same place as Harry?" asked Morwen, and Ron and Hermione nodded.  "Well, let's go back to the castle.  There's some explaining to be done."

*%*%*%*%*%*%*%*

Next: **_In Which Telemain Makes a Discovery_**

I'm _so_ sorry for not uploading this chapter sooner!  _Please_ forgive me!  And while you're at it, why don't you review, too. ^____^  **cheeky**  Anyway, I thank everyone for your reviews!  Without each and every one of them, I wouldn't have 104 reviews, like I do. =D

Thank you to:

Lady Cinnibar (It's alright that you were forgetting review, because at least you're reviewing now!), DumbOldDork (Am I still doing well on length?), girloz14 (I'm glad you did.  Review this chapter, too, please!!!), Firefox  (Waaah…don't be mad at me!), MeShelly (I love Suz. =) ), Kell Shock, JadeiteZ (Read EFC!  You'll love it, I promise), Katy999, Sarah, and last, but not least, Springrain.

Don't forget to review this chapter, too. 


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